Apparatus for package and postal transmission.



No. 643,76l. Patented Feb. 20, I900. l. CIZEK. APPARATUS FOR PACKAGE AND POSTAL TRANSMISSION.

(Application filed Aug, 31, 1896.) (No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet I.

11 2 77, lug/7Z0 rn1: NORRIS PETERS no. PHoroumQ. WASNINGTON. D. c.

N0. 643,76]. Patentd Feb. 20, I900. l. CIZEK. APPARATUS FOR PACKAGE AND POSTAL TRANSMISSION.

(Application filed Aug. 81, 1896.) (No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Paten ted Feb. 20, I900. v CIZEK. APPARATUS FDR PACKAGE AND POSTAL TRANSMISSION.

' (Application filed Aug. 81, 1896.)

(No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet 3.

1 I -l I llllllllllm omm mem wom mw mwzessee Inventor IvznCL 'ek p Patented Feb. 20, 1900. I. CIZEK.

APPARAIUS FOB PACKAGE AND POSTAL TRANSMISSION.

(Application filed Aug. 31, 1896.) (No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet 4.

- Inventor Juarz05e7t' ZVi/Znesses THE "0mm PETERS co. PHOTO-UTHQ, WASHINGTON, o. c.

m. 643,76l. Patented Feb. 20', 1900. I. CIZEK.

APPARATUS FOR PACKAGE AND POSTAL TRANSMISSION.

(Application filed Aug. 31, 1896.) (No Model.) 9 SheetsSheet 5.

N0. 643,76l. Patented Feb. 20, I900. I. CIZEK;

APPARATUS FOR PACKAGE AND POSTAL TRANSMISSION.

(Applicat'on filed Aug. 31, 1896.) (No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet e.

VIIA w Jmve 72 Z07 Witness es m: nonms PETERS 50.. FHOTO-LXTHO., WASHINGTDN, u c

No. 643,76L Patented Feb. 20, I900.

l. ClZ-EK. APPARATUS FOR PACKAGE AN D POSTAL TRANSMISSION.

(Application filed Aug. 31, 1896.) o o el.) 9 Sheets-She 7,

lfiirzess m: "cams new-Ens o0 FHOTKFUTHOY. WASHINGYDN, Bic.

N0. 643,76l. Patented Feb. 20, I900. I. CIZEK. APPARATUS FOR PACKAGEAND POSTAL TRANSMISSION.

S (Application filed Aug. :31, 1898.) (No Model.) 9 Sheets-Sheet 9.

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NITED STATES FATJENT Eric.

IVAN OIZEK, OF LAUTSOHIN, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

APPARATUS FOR PACKAGE AND POSTAL TRANSMISSION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,761, dated February 20, .1900.

- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, IVAN OIZEK, a citizen of the Kingdom of Bohemia, and a resident of Lautschin, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Packages and Postal Transmission ,of which the followingis a specification, and which has been patented or applied for in Germany, dated October 20, 1895; in Austria, dated June 1, 1896, No. Mi/2,154, and February 13, 1896, No. 46/531; in Hungary, dated November 23, 1895, No. 4,499; in France, dated February 7, 1896, No. 251,147, and in England, dated March 21, 1895, No. 9,942.

My invention relates to elevator and drop carriers which are applied to stores, offices, and flat buildings wherein numerous tenants or occupants of the same building, located upon different floors thereof, are reached from the ground-floor or from anyone of said floors to communicate with them and deliver small articles, such as merchandise, letters, newspapers, books, and the like. A speaking-tube or telephone and electric alarm connected with the apparatus enable verbal communications and signals from a messenger, postman, or other person on the ground-floor with the person occupying the building and within reach of the transmission apparatus.

Figure 1 is a sectional front elevation of the lower end, and Fig. 2 a similar view of the upper end, of a drop-carrier elevator operated by a water-motor. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the lower end, and Fig. 4 a similar view of the upper end, of the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a front elevation ofthe exterior of the drop-carrier elevator shown in section in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view in line 00 cc of Fig. 1, and Fig. 7 a similar elevation thereof, showing in detail the guide-rails for the carrier-cage and counterbalance-weight and the mode of connecting the same to the shaft and to a side spout; Fig. 8, a sectional elevation of the water-wheel and its casing; Fig. 9, an enlarged elevation; Fig. 10,a similar plan; Fig. 11, a similar vertical section; and Fig. 12, a horizontal section in line 00 00 of Fig. 1l, illustrating the valve and its operatin g mechanism for controlling the admission of water to the motor; Fig. 13, an ,en-

Application filed August 31, 1896. Serial No. 604,479. (No model.)

larged elevation; Fig. 14, a similar face View; and Fig. 15, a similar section in line y y of Fig. 14, showing the governor for regulating the descent of the carrier-cage within its shaft. Fig. 16 represents in detail an edge, a side elevation, and a sectional plan, respectively, of a sliding latch to engage with projections on a rod for arresting the carrier-cage at any required point. Fig. 17 is a side elevation in detail of the said sliding latch and rod with its projections partly engaged therewith in its first position, and Fig. 18 a like view of the parts shown in Fig. 17 with the said projections in the second position and completelyengaged with each other. Fig. 19 is a side elevation in detail of the rod shown in Figs. 17 and 18 with the projections shown in an angular position; Fig. 20, a side elevation and a plan, respectively, of a lever, links, and an index-plate for turning the rod carrying the latch projections and for indicating the position of said projections. Fig. 21 shows enlarged details in sectional side and front elevations, respectively, of the hinged carrier-compartment covers in their closed positions, and Fig. 22 a like View of said parts with all the covers open; Fig. 23, enlarged front and sectional elevations, respectively, and detail views of the handwheel and indicator connected with the latchrod to indicate the position of the carrier in the shaft. Figs. 24 and 25 are sectional elevations, enlarged, of the bottom of the side spout, showing, respectively, the hinged delivery-box in its closed and in its open position. Fig. 26 is a sectional side and Fig. 27 a sectional front elevation of the lower part of a carrier adapted to automatically leave small parcels, as letters, mail, &c., succes sively at each floor or at any given floor or floors as the carrier ascends. Fig. 28 is a front elevation, and Fig. 29 a sectional side elevation, broken away between each station or story, with the delivering-aperture and receiving boxes or tables adapted to be used in connection with the devices shown in Figs. 26 and 27. Fig. 30 is a detail of the valve and stop rod with its indicator adapted to the automatic letter-delivery carrier shown in Figs. 26, 27, 28, and 29. Fig. 31 is an enlarged side elevation, and Fig. 32 a side edge sectional plan, of a part of a carrier provided with letter or parcel holding compartments and pro vided with a modified and more complete form of latch for opening separately the several compartment-covers.

All of the several details of construction of this device will be particularly described in the regular order and arrangement of the various sheets of drawings according to the consecutive number of the sheets and figures referred to.

On the ground-floor the articles to be distributed are placed in a carrier contained in an elevator-shaft and divided into compartments corresponding in number to receivingboxes on all the floors overhead and numbered or marked to correspond with the said receiving-boxes, each article being readily placed in the proper compartment belonging to the fiat, oflice, or residence station corresponding to the address placed on the said article. hen the carrier is loaded with the postal or other articles to be delivered and properly distributed according to the ad dresses, the adjustable appliances hereinafter described are set for delivery on the first floor. The carrier is then sent up the shaft to the first floor and duly delivered, and said apparatus then becomes detached and returns to the ground-floor. The apparatus for delivering the carrier to the next higher fioor is then set or connected, whereupon the first-described movement of the carrier is repeated until the top floor is reached.

The carrier is lifted in the elevator-shaft by a water-motor (shown in Figs. 1, 3, 26, and 27 and in detail in Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 of the drawings) preferably located at the foot of the elevator-shaft. The motor consists in a water-wheel a, fitted upon a shaft in bearings within a casing a and is set in motion by a jet of water issuing from the mouth a of a pipe supplying water under pressure, which acts upon the buckets of the wheel and causes its rotation. The Water is admitted to the wheel by a novel form of valve-gear hereinafter described. A gear-wheel b is secured to the water-wheel a and engages with a second gear-wheel (2 secured to a shaft carrying pulley b over which an endless belt 1) passes, which at the upper end of the elevator-shaft passes over a roller b by which means the carrier A is raised and lowered within the shaft. The counterpoise c of the carrier A nearly balances the weight of the latter, and when the carrier is loaded the water-wheel is easily moved upward.

In order that the carrier may be operated in case the supply of water is cut off by freezing or otherwise, a hand-wheel d and chainwheel 61*, supported on a shaft in the elevator-shaft casing, are connected by an endless chain d with a chain-wheel (Z carried on the shaft of the disk 12 which carries the cord of the elevator carrier or cage.

The cage or carrier A (see Figs. 1 and 3) consists,essentially,ofaframe A, fitted with partitions 6, inclined steeply from front to back to provide small compartments and a larger uppercompartment A (see Fig. 3,) provided for holding packages or parcels of larger size. The carrier is fitted at top and bottom with rollers f, guided upon rodsf and is attached also at such points to the ends of the cord orwires supported, respectively, upon the wheel b of the driving-gear and a similar band-wheel b at the top of the elevator-shaft,acounterpoise c'being provided within the said elevator-shaft, upon one side thereof, which is guided between rods f supported upon plates B at the top of the said elevator-shaft and at the lower end thereof in elevation in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 thereof and in enlarged detail in Figs. 6 and 7, the said plates also serving to support, respectively, the upper and lower ends of the guiderods f upon which the carrier-rollers are supported. The supporting-cord of the carrier (shown by dot-and-dash lines in the aforesaid figures) is secured to the bottom of the carrier A by a ratchet-wheelf having a spring-controlled pawl f and secured to a shaft f in bearings to be revolved to wind the said cord thereon and take up any slack which may come about by continual strain thereon.

Letters and other objects to be delivered are introduced through the opening a into the openings 6 of the flaps 6 This introduction after the distribution of the letters and parcels, &c., proceeds as follows: The first or uppermost compartment 6 is first filledor charged. Then the carrier by means of the hand-wheel dis raised through such distance as will bring the next division into position opposite the opening a, so as to charge or fill the second compartment, and so on in succession. Naturally the flaps e are closed, so that the letters when introduced may drop into the interior of their respective compartments through the openings e. The flaps are each marked with the name or number of the particular residence or flat indi cated, and these marks are of course visible at the time of such distribution, so that all errors may be avoided. When all of the compartments of the carrier are filled, the adjustment of the apparatus is regulated from the ground-floor by means of the indicator-finger g, which is connected by link and arm 9 with a rod h, supported vertically and carrying stops j j, which arrest the movement of the carrierat the floor for which they are set. The said rod h, being supported in bearings in the elevator-shaft and adapted to be oscillated by the means described, also carries at its lower end stop-pawls h, pivoted thereto, which engage with the teeth of a small ratchet-wheel 11, which, as will hereinafter appear, operates the admission-cock of the water-supply for the water-wheel. The ratchet-wheel i is prolonged downwardly in the form of a socket 6 and contains a strong spiral spring i one end of which is secured to said socket and the other end of which is secured to a shaft 6 This shaft carries a stud 2' (see Figs. 9, 1O, 11, and 12,) which by means of a projection i, secured to the wall of the elevator-shaft casing, is prevented from rotating, and thus causes the coiled spring i to be wound upon the said shaft and within the socket. The socket i is firmly secured to the rod 6 which carries the admission-cock '0 through which the water enters at 17 in order to supply the water-wheel through the pipe '9 When the spiral spring i is relaxed, the cock is closed, and when by the above-named movement of the indicatorfinger g the rod h is caused to rotate the stop-pawls h engage in the ratchet-wheel t" and turn it around, whereby the spring 1? is wound up and the cock opened. The water will then issue from the nozzle a and set the water-wheel a in motion, and thus elevate the carrier A within the elevator-shaft.

On the rod 72 are fixed projections j, (see Fig. 19,) which are brought in position by the rotation of said rod to engage with latches upon the carrier in a novel manner. The frame A of the carrier, Fig. 16, supports a sliding latch-plate k, which isheld in place by a spring coiled around the bolt k supported by a lug is, secured tothe said frame A and against which the spring 10 abuts and is supported, thus allowing theplate 7s a limited movement upon the frame A due to the elasticity of the spring 70, while a second plate Z is secured firmly to the said frame A below the spring-supporting lug. The plate k supports a pivoted spring-catch 70 in which the upper lug projection j of the rod h engages when it is moved into position for this purpose. When the spring-catch k strikes the projection j as the carrier is lifted, the sliding plate 70 will approach the fixed plate Z by the compression of the top half of spring 70 When the spring 10 has been in this manner sufficiently compressed, it lifts the piece 70, which then overcomes the weight of the bar h and slightly raises the same, and thereby the stop-pawls 7L2 at the bottom of the rod h are raised from the wheel 2' and liberates the latter, which then, under the influence of the spiral spring 2' returns to its normal position, whereby the admission-cook is closed and the upward movement of the carrier is arrested. Simultaneously with the operation last described the upperend of the tongue Z assumes a position under the action of the plate-spring Z (see Fig. 18,) with its lower end moved out to rest on the projection j of the carrier and maintain the latter in its raised position at the first floor. Simultaneously with the action here described the flaps e of the compartments 6 belonging to the first floor are opened as follows: When the carrier is thus held, the piece 7c is slightly depressed and a projection m thereon comes in contact with a bell-crank lever 6 controlled by a spring 6 The lever c is thus caused to rotate and strikes against the end of rod 6 which it depresses, so that the latter efiects the opening of the flaps 6 while the bolt-rod e is previously withdrawn, (see Fig. 22,) and thus liberates the rod 6 so that the latter will be free to move. The bolt-rod 6 thus fixing the rod 6 prevents the flaps from being opened by the pressure of heavy articles conveyed by the carrier, as these flaps cannot be opened until rod 6 is withdrawn, which does not take place until the project-ion m and lever 6 come in contact one with the other. The contents of the lower compartments of the carrier being kept covered by their flaps coming opposite a plate m upon the elevator-shaft (see Fig. 22) at the first floor, the upper compartments only are discharged into the/respective compartments of the receptacle E on the first door. The carrier having made the delivery to the first floor, the rod h is rotated farther by the indicator-finger, and the stop-catchesj of the first story are thrown out of engagement with the spring-catches of the carrier, while the stop-pawls of the water-supply cock are again brought in contact with the ratchet-wheel thereof by the dropping back of the rod h, when the carrier is arrested, and upon turning said rod the water is admitted and the carrier is immediately raised to the next floor. The upward movement, stoppage, and delivery of articles from the compartments of the carrier belonging to the second floor take place exactly as on the first floor. When the rod h is turned to hold the stops j out of the 1 way and the water shut ofi from the wheel, by turning the indicator-finger g back to the zero position the carrier will overcome the weight of the counterbalance and descend in the shaft. The carrier does not move very rapidly, as its descent is arrested by the cordband pulley-gear and water-wheel and also by the gear-wheels b and b, the latter being connected by a regulator (see Figs. 13, 14, and 15) which opposes the too-rapid descent of the carrier. The regulator consists of two disks, one of which, n, is firmly secured either to a fixed part of the mechanism or to the carrier-tube, while the other disk, n rotates with the water-wheel b and is free to move endwise or axially and being guided in such endwise movement by the lugs n,-carried by the spindle of the water-wheel. In the lugs 02 are carried the arms it, provided with balls at their outer ends and having their inner ends shaped as cams n the said armsbeing connected by a spring a which checks and counteracts their centrifugal movement. NVhen the wheel-gear rotates too rapidly, the balls of the governor fly apart and the cams upon the arms press against the fixed disks and retard the motion either in the upward or downward movement of the carrier. A stop block g on the rod h arrests the downward motion of the carrier, a spring h at the upper end of said rod and supported upon the top of the elevator-shaft casing serving to temper the shock.

The delivery of the packages may be regulated and the rod h adjusted for this purpose from any of the floors by a bell-crank lever 0, Figs. 5 and 20, and a link 0 connected IIOv to a lever 0 upon the rod h, a small dial 0 serving to indicate the position of the rod and the stops thereon, and by a similar device the admission-cock maybe operated from any one of the floors to effect the complete control and movement of the carrier thereby. A fixed sheet-metal tube D may be located at one side of the elevator-shaft and provided with a hinged receptacle at the bottom thereof, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, 24, and 25, for delivering letters, &c., downstairs from an upper fioor. Speaking-tubes and electric signal apparatus may be used to connect the upper and lower flats with the ground floor, with branches to all the separate apartments on the several floors, in a manner which will readily be understood by those skilled in such matters.

It is to be observed in relation to the descent of the carrier that one may arrest it at any particular floor, if desired, for which, however, only the catch 75' comes into operation and secures the carrier. The flaps e are not opened in this instance.

In the manner above described the letters, newspapers, &c., to be distributed are inserted in the said carrier, the indicator-finger g is first turned to I for the first story, and then after a short time to II for the second story, and so 011 until the last or highest story is reached. Thereupon the indicatorfinger g after a short time is turned back to zero.

The'lnodification of the postal-transmission apparatus, as shown in Figs. 26 to 32, inclusive, of the drawings is more simple and easily managed, as the letters are thrown for each story into an open desk. In this construction the flaps e covering the compartments, are, beginning with the lowest, opened in each story and in such succession that in the first story the lowest flap will be opened, in the second story the next following flap, and so on without interruption.

By the regularly-interrupted ascending of the carrier the reversing apparatus becomes a very simple one, as the reversing-handle only has an open and a closed position. (See Fig. 30.) One represents the opening and the other the closing of the water-supply valve. The rod h is shortened and connected by a rope h with a lever 12 at the upper end of the shaft, which is lifted by the carrier when it reaches the top of the shaft to shut off the water by lifting the rod h, and thus allowing the carrier to descend by its own weight.

IVhen the carrier is to be engaged, the lever g is turned to Closed and the articles are put into their proper compartments. The lever is the turned to Open, and the elevator is ready to ascend. The flaps are opened successively by the following-described arrangement: Each flap has a lever d, fulcrumed in 0, also a lever g, provided with a projection e" and supported bya spring f, and a lever m", pivotally fixed at Z", arresting the flap, if

shut, by means of its bolt said lever m" being connected with the lever g by the chain a. The lever d has a lateral projection d, and each succeeding lever d from top to bottom has a longer projection d, and each story has a projection q provided, and these projections arearranged in such a manner that said projection on the first story will allow the carrier to pass with all of its projections d until it meets with the lowest, and in the second story the projections will all pass until the one next the last from above is intercepted, and so on. \Vhen the projection q meets with the projection upon lever d, the said lever, together with lever g, is pressed down, the lever m" is set free, and the short lever 6 opens the flap. (See Fig. 31.) As the projections d have a sufficiently vertical length for keeping the lever d pressed down for a short time, the articles stored in the compartments have time enough to escape from the flaps before the latter will closethat is to say, before the short lever (1 leaves the projection q. IVhen the projection q is passed, the spring f will close the flaps c and the chain n" will draw the lever m up to rengage with the lug 70 upon the said flap e and hold it securely shut.

I claim as myinvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A postal and parcel transmission apparatus comprising a carrieradapted to reciprocate in guides in an elevator-shaft and provided with a plurality of compartments, each closed by flaps, receptacles E on each fioor of the elevator apparatus, spring-catches on the carrier and an oscillating rod provided with projections to engage with said springcatohes to arrest the cage or carrier when it reaches the required receptacle, substantially as described.

2. In a postal and parcel transmission apparatus, the combination With the elevator shaft and carrier, of a water-motor connected with the carrier and a valve normally closed and provided with a spring, a vertical oscillatory rod connected thereto, an indicatinglever connected with said rod, pawls secured to said rod and a ratchet-wheel connected with the said spring for operating the valve, substantially as described.

3. In an elevator, the combination with the elevator-shaft, of the carrier or cage, the Water-wheel-lifting device, latch-pawls on the cage, a vertical oscillatory rod provided with projections to engage with the latch-pawls, stop-pawls on the said rod, a ratchet-wheel and valve connected therewith and a spring for connecting the ratchet-Wheel and valve operated by the said rod, substantially as described, to open and close the water-supply at each of the stations or floors, substantially as described.

4. In an elevator, a carrier, the plate 70 provided with a spring-actuated'catch 70 the springs 70 the rod 70 secured to the plate and around which the springs are placed, and a lug against which the springs bear, combined with the fixed plate Z, and the stationary spring-actuated catch Z an oscillatory rod having projections to engage both the sliding and the stationary catches, a motor for operating the elevator-carrier, and a valve for opening and closing the supply to the motor operated by the oscillatory rod, substantially as described.

5. In a postal and parcel transmission apparatus, the combination with the elevatorshaft carrier provided with separate compartments, of flaps provided with levers for each compartment, a spring-operated rod 9 connected with the several flap-levers, a sliding piece k onthe frame A, supported in the elevator-shaft, and a plate m at the dischargeopening of the elevator-shaft, substantially as described for the purpose specified.

6. In a postal and parcel transmission apparatus, a carrier provided with flaps e which are provided with openings 6 the hand-wheel d for arresting the carrier, the indicator-finger g, the arm 9 a connecting-link y the rod h, supported vertically and carrying stops 7", and adapted to be oscillated; spring-actuated catches on the carrier, the stop-pawls W, on the lower end of the rod; the ratchet-wheel i, and a valve for controlling the supply of water to the motor, substantially as set forth.

7. A governor for elevating apparatus,comprising centrifugal arms,carns upon said arms, a fixed disk n and a rotary disk n 1, acted upon by said cams, and a spring n 5 connecting said arms to counteract their centrifugal movement, substantially as described.

8. A postal-transmission apparatus, comprising an elevator-carrier provided with separate compartments closed by hinged flaps, of a lever mechanism connected with said flaps having projections of unequal length, and stops on the several floors of the elevator adapted to engage said projections to open and close said flaps successively, substantially as described.

In testimony that 1 claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in pres= ence of two subscribing witnesses.

IVAN CIZEK.

Vitnesses:

HENRY HASPER, W. HAUPT. 

